The most critical element of any film or television production is casting the most suitable actors for the available roles. A good script, a good director and creative casting invariably produces a winning result.
An actor will always be cast according to type. The best available actor with a personality, physicality and attitude most resembling the scripted character will be cast for the role. For example, a conservative Christian type will never be considered for the role of a nasty Melbourne gangster, but if the role being cast calls for a person with strong religious beliefs then the actor will be in with a chance.
Most actors are confused as to what their actual “type” is. The below two web sites contain a wealth of information regarding character types and it is imperative that you know which “type” best represents you. Check out www.joeedelman.com and www.enneagraminstitute.com for a comprehensive run down of the various character types.
Many actors are too hung up on the negative aspects of their appearance: My nose is too big or too small, my lips are too thin, my ears stick out too much and so on and so on. As opposed to dwelling upon ones insecurities, it is far wiser to understand that these negatives can always be turned into positives.
Sydney casting director Kari Harris, tutor of the Audition Process Screen Test master class at the Screen Actors Workshop is highly regarded for the love and respect she has for actors. Kari is committed to nurturing, training and empowering actors to help them achieve their full potential on-screen.
Here’s an anecdote that Kari sometimes mentions to students during the course: Imagine that you are trying to establish a film career in Hollywood but you have a thick impenetrable foreign accent and are built like a tank. This is the predicament that Arnold Schwarzenegger faced, and for years Hollywood producers wouldn’t give him the time of day. That is until they were searching for a suitable actor to play the lead role in Terminator, a role for which they wanted a well-built actor without an American accent. All of a sudden Arnold’s negatives became positives and the rest is history.
A true story and invaluable advice for any actor. The point being, don’t sell yourself short: your own unique personality makes you special and therefore a very valuable commodity.
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